Each museum and Federal agency that has possession or control of a holding or collection that may contain human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony must comply with the requirements of this subpart, regardless of the physical location of the holding or collection. Each museum and Federal agency must identify one or more authorized representatives who are responsible for carrying out the requirements of this subpart.
(a) Museum holding or collection. A museum must comply with this subpart for any holding or collection under its possession or control that may contain human remains or cultural items, including a new holding or collection or a previously lost or previously unknown holding or collection.
(1) A museum must determine whether it has sufficient interest in a holding or collection to constitute possession or control on a case-by-case basis given the relevant information about the holding or collection.
(i) A museum may have custody of a holding or collection but not possession or control. In general, custody of a holding or collection through a loan, lease, license, bailment, or other similar arrangement is not sufficient interest to constitute possession or control, which resides with the loaning, leasing, licensing, bailing, or otherwise transferring museum or Federal agency.
(ii) If a museum has custody of a holding or collection, the museum may be required to report the holding or collection under paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section.
(2) Any museum that sends a repatriation statement for human remains or cultural items or that transfers or reinters human remains or associated funerary objects in good faith under this subpart shall not be liable for claims by an aggrieved party or for claims of breach of fiduciary duty, public trust, or violations of State law that are inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or this part.
(b) Federal agency holding or collection. A Federal agency must comply with this subpart for any holding or collection in its possession or control that may contain human remains or cultural items, including a previously lost or previously unknown holding or collection.
(1) A Federal agency must determine, given the relevant information, if a holding or collection:
(i) Was in its possession or control on or before November 16, 1990; or
(ii) Came into its possession or control after November 16, 1990, and was removed from:
(A) An unknown location; or
(B) Lands that are neither Federal nor Tribal lands as defined in this part.
(2) A Federal agency may have custody of a holding or collection that was removed from Federal or Tribal lands after November 16, 1990, and must comply with § 10.7(c) of this part.
(c) Museums with custody of a Federal agency holding or collection. No later than January 13, 2025, each museum that has custody of a Federal agency holding or collection that may contain Native American human remains or cultural items must submit a statement describing that holding or collection to the authorized representatives of the Federal agency most likely to have possession or control and to the Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
(1) No later than 180 days following receipt of a museum's statement, the Federal agency must respond to the museum and the Manager, National NAGPRA Program, with a written acknowledgement of one of the following:
(i) The Federal agency has possession or control of the holding or collection;
(ii) The Federal agency does not have possession or control of the holding or collection; or
(iii) The Federal agency and the museum agree that they have joint possession or control of the holding or collection.
(2) Failure to issue such a determination by the deadline constitutes acknowledgement that the Federal agency has possession or control. The Federal agency is responsible for the requirements of this subpart for any holdings or collections under its possession or control, regardless of the physical location of the holdings or collection.
(d) Museums with custody of other holdings or collections. No later than January 13, 2025, each museum that has custody of a holding or collection that may contain Native American human remains or cultural items and for which it cannot identify any person, institution, State or local government agency, or Federal agency with possession or control of the holding or collection, must submit a statement describing that holding or collection to the Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
(e) Contesting actions on repatriation. An affected party under § 10.12(c)(1)(ii) who wishes to contest actions made by museums or Federal agencies under this subpart is encouraged to do so through informal negotiations to achieve a fair resolution of the matter. Informal negotiations may include requesting the assistance of the Manager, National NAGPRA Program, or the Review Committee under § 10.12.